I Dreamt I Was Monica Vitti

The essay examines The White Lotus (2021–2023) by Mike White and in particular its reflection on cinematic art, drawing on Rene Girard’s theory of mimetic desire. The White Lotus is based on exposing and escalating interpersonal rivalry, extrapolated to the entire (Western) society and then again distilled to the film trope of a luxury vacation which ends in death. The series outlines contemporary inequalities on multiple axes, especially in terms of class, gender and generation. However, the inequalities are not presented in a polemic way as the series perpetuates the status quo instead, while utilising classic movie techniques.

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